New Maxima keeper

[SaltyCrew4u]

I have had my Maxima for roughly three weeks now. Just curious as to what I should be testing for and what I should be aiming for parameter wise, light wise, flow, feeding and placement. Below are my parameters. I have three AI Prime 16 HD's on a 36 gallon. Everyone mentions new growth means a happy clam. What exactly does that look like? I did a water change today so I'm waiting on an updated test tomorrow for my ammonia.

Phos: .03 7/4/24
Alk: 8.5 7/4/24
Ammonia: .11 7/5/24
Mag: 1350 7/5/24
Calcium: 410 7/5/24
Nitrate: 8.2 PPM 7/4/24

 

[tzabor10]

Seems like a new tank. Not impossible but be cautious. Normally zero ammonia is ideal. Clams enjoy high light and stable parameters

 

[ryanjohn1]

The new growth will be a nice white growth on the edge of shell

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Just keep an eye for new growth on the shell. Let us know, I'm curious if AI Prime can support a maxima, you'll need to turn the lights up though

 

[OrionN]

I normally just check Alkalinity and Ca. Temp use a monitor, salinity I check whenever I change water, I don't check various nitrogenous compounds or phosphate in my tank. Mag i check once in a while, several months and replace as needed.
Clams require a well-run tank (fairly low nutrient) with good Ca and Alkalinity

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

Seems like a new tank. Not impossible but be cautious. Normally zero ammonia is ideal. Clams enjoy high light and stable parameters

It's still new, roughly 6-7 months. I usually do my research before I purchase anything for the tank but the guy at the LFS talked me into it. That's on me though. I have done some reading and have been told that tanks have some ammonia. After the water change it went down to .08

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

The new growth will be a nice white growth on the edge of shell

It has a good amount of white growth. I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

Just keep an eye for new growth on the shell. Let us know, I'm curious if AI Prime can support a maxima, you'll need to turn the lights up though

The clam is smack dab in the middle and the top of the rock work. I tested the PAR and it was at 350 in the same spot. Hopefully that's enough. I plan to slowly lower my lights to get a little closer to the water.

 

[minus9]

Buy this book.

 

[rhitee93]

Both of Fatherree's books about giant clams are worth having.

FWIW, this maxima is sitting at just under a par level of 380 at the peak of the day. It seems to put on a new scute every 4 or 5 weeks.

 

[exnisstech]

350 par should work but I don't think you can give them too much. Do you know if it's wild caught or cultured? I only asked because I have not had good luck with wild harvested ones. 6 months to a year and they withered away. My cultured one has probably tripled in size in a year. I'm far from an expert and only have the two unexplained loses.

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

Thank you for the pic and info. I lowered my lights a little and turned them up. I'm going to check the PAR after work.

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

350 par should work but I don't think you can give them too much. Do you know if it's wild caught or cultured? I only asked because I have not had good luck with wild harvested ones. 6 months to a year and they withered away. My cultured one has probably tripled in size in a year. I'm far from an expert and only have the two unexplained loses.

I'm not sure. I will call and ask when they open. Do you count the scute to determine if they are gaining new ones? Or is it safe to say if they have new white growth it's a new scute?

 

[exnisstech]

White growth on the edge next to mantle. I don't really pay attention to the shutes. I've read the shutes wear off when they get crowded on a reef.

 

[Outlaw Corals]

All of your water parameters are looking pretty good. You are testing for everything that you should be testing for, your calcium is a little bit low you want to get that up to 440 to 460, don’t mess around moving your light 350 par is plenty, overall, everything looks really good just bump that calcium up a little bit and test once a week besides that there is nothing more that you could do, and the worst thing that you could do is to do too much

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

All of your water parameters are looking pretty good. You are testing for everything that you should be testing for, your calcium is a little bit low you want to get that up to 440 to 460, don’t mess around moving your light 350 par is plenty, overall, everything looks really good just bump that calcium up a little bit and test once a week besides that there is nothing more that you could do, and the worst thing that you could do is to do too

All of your water parameters are looking pretty good. You are testing for everything that you should be testing for, your calcium is a little bit low you want to get that up to 440 to 460, don’t mess around moving your light 350 par is plenty, overall, everything looks really good just bump that calcium up a little bit and test once a week besides that there is nothing more that you could do, and the worst thing that you could do is to do too much

I'm working on lowering my ammonia. It's down to .08, I think it might be my HOB filter. I ordered All for Reef. So hopefully I can raise my calcium a little and add some trace elements that might be missing.

 

[exnisstech]

I'm working on lowering my ammonia. It's down to .08, I think it might be my HOB filter. I ordered All for Reef. So hopefully I can raise my calcium a little and add some trace elements that might be missing.

That ammonia may not even be accurate. If you have inverts doing fine I would stop testing as it may lead you to take measures that disrupt things. Right or wrong I don't even own an ammonia test kit.

and the worst thing that you could do is to do too much

^This ^

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

It also has green leaf algae that grows on it. I pull most of it off with tweezers. A toothbrush doesn't do the trick. Will algae do anything to the clam?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

It also has green leaf algae that grows on it. I pull most of it off with tweezers. A toothbrush doesn't do the trick. Will algae do anything to the clam?

the tank should have snails, and snails will regularly clean the clam.

 

[exnisstech]

It also has green leaf algae that grows on it. I pull most of it off with tweezers. A toothbrush doesn't do the trick. Will algae do anything to the clam?

As long as there is nothing that can irritate the mantle you should be ok. I had to remove some vermatids once but never alage